---
title: Universal Tag Debugger
description: The Universal Tag (UTAG) Debugger is a tool used for validating the Universal Data Object and tracking calls.
url: https://docs.tealium.com/iq-tag-management/tealium-tools/utag-debugger/
---
## How it works

The Universal Tag (UTAG) Debugger tool displays the [Universal Data Object](https://docs.tealium.com/universal-data-object/) and event tracking callstriggered by `utag.js` on a site.

![](https://docs.tealium.com/images/iq-tag-management/utag-debugger.png)

## Install

### Tealium Tools

To install UTAG Debugger as a Tealium Tool, first install the [Tealium Tools Browser Extension](https://docs.tealium.com/tealium-tools-browser-extension/).

After you install the extension, follow these steps to add the custom tool:

1. Click the Tealium icon in the upper-right of your browser to open Tealium Tools.
1. Go to the **Custom Tools** tab and click the square for **+ Custom Tools**, then click **Add Custom Tools**.
1. Next, copy and paste the following JSON code in the field for **Add by JSON Definition** then click **Add Custom Tool**:  
    ```json
    {
        "id" : "teal.sol.debug",
        "title" : "UTAG Debugger",
        "description" : "Universal Tag Debugger",
        "no_ui" : true,
        "scripts" : {
            "utag_monitor" : {
                "js" : "void(window.open(\"\",\"utagmon\",\"width=700,height=600,location=0,menubar=0,status=1,toolbar=0,resizable=1,scrollbars=1\").document.write(\"<script language='JavaScript' id='utagmon' src='//tags.tiqcdn.com/utag/tealium-solutions/main/prod/utag.4.js?opt_show_enrich=0&opt_show_meta=0&opt_show_query=0&opt_show_jspage=0&opt_show_tiq=1&opt_show_cookie=0&_cb=\"+Math.random()+\"'></\"+\"script>\"));",
                "auto_inject" : true
            }
        }
    }
    ```
1. When complete, a new button with the tool name appears on the **Custom Tools** tab.

### Bookmarklet

To install UTAG Debugger as a bookmark, copy the following code into the URL of a new bookmark:
```js
javascript:void(window.open("","utagmon","width=700,height=600,location=0,menubar=0,status=1,toolbar=0,
resizable=1,scrollbars=1").document.write("<script language='JavaScript' id='utagmon'
src='//tags.tiqcdn.com/utag/tealium-solutions/main/prod/utag.4.js?
opt_show_enrich=0&opt_show_meta=0&opt_show_tiq=1&opt_show_dom=0&opt_show_jspage=0&opt_show_cookie=0&_cb="
+Math.random() +"'></"+"script>"))
```

## Use UTAG Debugger

To launch UTAG Debugger, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your site.
1. For Tealium Tools, open Tealium Tools and click **UTag Debugger**. 
1. For the bookmarklet, click the bookmark in your browser toolbar.
    ![](https://docs.tealium.com/images/iq-tag-management/utag-debugger-bookmarklet.png) 

### Version and display options

When UTAG Debugger is open, the top section displays the `utag.js` file detected on the page with the following information:

* The `account/profile/environment` of the `utag.js` file on the page.
* The version of the `utag.js` file on the page.

![](https://docs.tealium.com/images/iq-tag-management/utag-debugger-options.png)

Use the following features:

* **Bookmarklet** – Save your preferred display options by dragging the link to your browser's toolbar.
* **Events** – The tracking events detected on the page are either `view` events or `link` events. Toggle these checkboxes to filter the display.
* **Scope** - Select the scope of the UDO data to display. The default is **Before load rules**.
    
<blockquote>
The UDO variables displayed in the tool are captured after extensions scoped to **All Tags - Before Load Rules** and after extensions scoped to **All Tags - After Load Rules**. Learn more about [order of operations](https://docs.tealium.com/order-of-operations/).
</blockquote>

* **Show Data** – Select the variable types to display. The UDO variables are always displayed.


### Variable types

The following variable types are available:

* **iQ** – Built-in data collected by `utag.js`, including DOM attributes and variables prefixed with `ut.` (for example: `ut.profile`).
* **Cookie** – All first-party cookies available in the page.
* **JS Page** – JavaScript page variables defined in your data layer (variables other than `utag_data`).
* **Querystring** – Query string variables found in the URL.
* **Meta** – All meta data values available in the page.
* **AudienceStream** – Variables populated by data layer enrichment.
* **Local storage** – Local storage variables defined in your data layer.
* **Session storage** – Session storage variables defined in your data layer.

For more information, see [Data layer variable types](https://docs.tealium.com/data-layer-variables/).

### Events

The data display area automatically updates as you navigate or trigger events. New pages are listed as `utag_view` events and in-page events are listed as `utag_link` events.

The following example shows two pages visited and one event triggered. The result is two `utag_view` entries and one `utag_link` entry. The most recent activity always appears at the top.

![](https://docs.tealium.com/images/iq-tag-management/utagmon-event-display.jpg)